Course Content
Theory is tied to a hands-on approach. You will carry out “homework” each week, which will be critically discussed and assessed. You are encouraged to “try out” the concepts you learn. This comprehensive course shows you how to get the most from your digital SLR camera:
Week 1 - Getting To Know Your Camera
Here, we explore the important parts of the camera. By the end of this first session you will know how to operate your camera in Program, Aperture Priority, Shutter Speed Priority or Manual Mode, and understand how to set image size and resolution, and choose suitable files formats.
Week 2 - The Camera Taken Apart
We look inside the camera, literally, to discover how it really works. A practical demonstration on Aperture vs Shutter Speed Priority follows and the session also addresses the issue of slow shutter speeds. The mathematical relationship between apertures will be explained in a simple and easy to remember way. Homework will be set. Following tonight’s lesson, you should become more comfortable in the use of the camera and know how to set appropriate apertures and shutter speeds to achieve the desired effects.
Week 3 - Night Shoot – A Practical Session
A review of your work forms the first part of the session, followed by a discussion on how to “bracket” exposures and when to do it. The “bulb” setting is also explained. A practical session in “night photography” will be conducted in front of the college.
Outcome: “when the lights are out, the camera should be out” will become a dictum that you will embrace after this fun session.
Week 4 - Exposure Exposed Is the camera infallible?
This session addresses that 5% of the time when the camera is wrong. You will be shown how to recognise it and, more importantly, take steps to avoid it. The use of the Kodak Grey Card as a means of guaranteeing optimum exposures will be demonstrated. You will learn how to “read” the Camera’s Histogram (it is really just a graph). Homework will be set.
Outcome: You will know how to achieve optimum exposures - even in unusual situations - and to ensure that black and white subjects appear dark and light respectively.
Week 5 - Depth of Field Control
When photographing a landscape, the near and the far should be in sharp focus. On the other hand, a portrait may need to have its distracting background thrown out of focus. You will be shown how to take control of Depth of Field. A simple to use field guide will be provided, and you will be shown how to set the hyper-focal distance to achieve maximum depth of field. Homework will be set.
Outcome: You will be able to set apertures purposely and creatively and for maximum depth of field control.
Week 6 - Perspective Control
How does one make the background appear more distant and spacious? Can we make it loom closer and larger? You will be shown how to achieve maximum control over perspective. A class demonstration is followed by real-life examples of creative perspective control. Homework is set.
Outcome: You will master this important technical control which will greatly add impact to their photographs
Week 7 - House-Keeping Matters
Throughout the seven weeks you will access the many menus in your camera and learn how to set them. These include: the White Balance, Colour Space, Image file format, Image size and quality, Image sharpening, ISO setting and Noise reduction.
Outcome: You will gain confidence in customizing the many menus to your individual needs.
Throughout the course, you will discover – through the extensive use of purposefully selected visuals – the “rules” of composition, lighting and many other tricks of the trade. By the end of the course, you would have learnt how to:
- Customise camera settings
- Operate the camera in the various modes (Aperture, Shutter Speed or Manual Mode) and why,
- Capture Images that have impact and are well exposed
- Control depth of field (sharpness over a range of distance),
- Control perspective (relationship between background and foreground)
- Optimise images for print or the web